49ers top draft pick Crabtree ready to finally hit the field after long holdout

Crabtree ready to finally hit the field

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Michael Crabtree stood against a wall in the locker room for his makeshift news conference and spoke for just more than six minutes about his upcoming NFL debut. He sported a red and gold San Francisco 49ers stocking cap.

The 49ers didn’t put him at the podium Thursday because that wouldn’t have been right for an unproven rookie who missed 71 days — even one as talented and highly touted as Crabtree.

What a change from his over-the-top ordeal for the announcement back in mid-January that he would forgo his final two years of college eligibility at Texas Tech to turn pro.

Crabtree held that event at an upscale hotel in the Dallas suburbs. Deion Sanders played master of ceremonies. In the parking lot outside, Crabtree’s car bore the license plate “Crab 5.” The same message was attached to both front doors.

San Francisco coach Mike Singletary insists none of that stuff matters now. As far as he’s concerned, Crabtree has been far from a diva around the 49ers. They picked him 10th overall in this year’s draft.

During his lengthy contract dispute, Crabtree prepared for this moment by reading defenses in his mind and even getting his buddies out on the field to stand in against him as he ran routes.

“I had friends out there playing Cover 2 and all that. We were just having fun,” Crabtree said Thursday. “I don’t think nothing’s easy, man. I think you’ve just got to watch a lot of film and hopefully I get it by game time.”

Whatever he did in that time he was absent, the Niners believe their top draft pick is ready to handle a big role in his long-awaited debut Sunday at Houston.

He might start. If not, offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye still figures on Crabtree playing half of the offensive snaps. He has impressed the coaches and his teammates with how he’s caught up after missing all of spring work, training camp and the first five games of the season.

“He is a natural football player, playing wide receiver,” Raye said. “He has an uncanny knack to conceptualize the picture quicker than most young guys, so the words that paint the picture of the play, he gets it pretty quickly so far. So I would anticipate that will continue.”

Crabtree plans to ignore the hype as best he can once he hits the field, though he knows there will be some 30 friends and family members there watching. He couldn’t have scripted it much better: The former Texas Tech star will play his first game in his home state.

His teammates have been razzing him like crazy and Thursday was no exception. Safety Dashon Goldson held his McDonald’s drink cup in the media fray like a microphone.

“Gimme a shout out, Mike!” right tackle Tony Pashos hollered.

“Is this Crabtree’s locker room?” someone else yelled.

“Leave him alone!” another cried out.

Crabtree knows that’s all part of it.

“Every rookie’s going to have to do something,” he said. “They’ve been on me wherever I go, ‘rookie, rookie.’ They’re going to do stuff to you every week. You’ve just got to be prepared.”

How prepared is Crabtree for Sunday?

He hasn’t played in a game — or taken a hit for that matter — since a 47-34 loss to Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2. He was slowed by an ankle injury that day and held to a career-low 30 yards receiving on four catches.

Crabtree averaged 120.3 yards and 1.6 touchdowns per game during two sensational college seasons. He has all the confidence he can produce those kinds of results against NFL defenses.

“I’ve been playing football since I was 3 years old. Right now we’re at the highest level and all I have to do is go out there every day and do what I know,” Crabtree said. “I wouldn’t even have any fears or any concerns. I will just worry about my plays and my teammates and make sure we’re all up.”

Playing Crabtree extensively right away is worth it to Raye so the 49ers get a better idea of what he can do in the pressure of a game situation.

“The obvious risk is that it fails, that he lays an egg, that we lay an egg,” Raye said. “I think the rewards outweigh the risks because if we keep putting it on the back burner and giving three plays or four plays, then a month down the road you are looking at the same situation, ‘What have you done?’”

Even San Francisco defensive coordinator Greg Manusky was fielding questions about Crabtree and the challenges he presents for a defense.

“He’s here. I’m happy. When he catches that first ball I’ll be even happier,” Manusky said with a smile. “I saw him a little bit during the bye week. It looks like he has some talent and some skills. He should if he is the 10th pick.”

Crabtree is more concerned with making sure he’s ready to play Sunday than how much his coaches use him on the field or how many catches or chances he gets. There are about 45 to 50 pass plays he must know, so that’s a load in itself.

“I can’t be disappointed with anything,” Crabtree said. “I have to take what they give me and make the most of it.”